Three individuals, identified as a prominent cocaine trafficker, a nightclub proprietor engaged in drug transport, and a recently divorced father, have entered guilty pleas for their involvement in a drug seizure operation conducted by Winnipeg police. Mohamed Ali, Abdullah Khan, and Ahmed Dini were arrested in connection with Project Roasted, an extensive probe into a drug distribution network. The culmination of the investigation led to the apprehension of one suspect at his residence, while the other two were taken into custody as they departed Stella’s on Pembina Highway with approximately two kilograms of cocaine in their possession.
Following concerns that the drug investigation had been jeopardized, law enforcement obtained a warrant to examine one of the suspects’ confiscated cellphones. The warrant indicated suspicions of potential collusion between Mohamed Ali, his associates, and then-Winnipeg police officer Elston Bostock. Revelations during Bostock’s sentencing revealed his involvement in corruption-related crimes, including leaking confidential police information to external parties.
Subsequent scrutiny of the cellphone data unearthed incriminating evidence, such as images of Bostock with individuals identified as “criminal associates” and text communications between Ali and others mentioning Bostock accessing police data on their behalf. Details about the implicated parties in Project Roasted were previously scant, but recent court proceedings illuminated the backgrounds of the three convicted individuals and their roles in the illicit drug scheme.
A federal prosecutor disclosed that information regarding Ali’s cocaine trafficking operations initiated Project Roasted. The investigation, which involved multiple search warrants, unveiled substantial quantities of cocaine, cash, and related paraphernalia at Ali’s residence in Niverville, Manitoba. While Khan was responsible for drug transportation, Ali orchestrated the meetings, according to court testimony.
At Khan’s sentencing, it was revealed that he, the proprietor of Moonlight Lounge on Osborne Street at the time, had no prior criminal record. His attorney attributed Khan’s involvement in drug trafficking to financial struggles, debts, and personal challenges. Khan confessed to transporting a significant quantity of cocaine and admitted to trying to obstruct justice in a separate incident, resulting in a seven-year sentence.
Ahmed Dini, a father in his 40s known for his work with individuals with developmental disabilities, was also implicated in Project Roasted. Upon his arrest, authorities discovered crack cocaine concealed in his residence. Dini’s legal counsel described how financial hardships and personal turmoil led him to store drugs for a friend. Dini received a roughly two-year conditional sentence and two years of supervised probation.
Charges against two other accused individuals in the case were dropped last year without specific reasons provided by federal prosecutors. The arrests and subsequent convictions shed light on the intricate web of drug trafficking and corruption that tainted the Winnipeg law enforcement landscape.